working under car

what are some ways you guys get the car up a little so its easier to work under it.

I really don't have the means to do a rotisserie,
just would like to get it up another foot or so and be level.

was thinking i could put some old steel wheels under each tire, but that means I need to jack the car at least 8 inches each corner and not sure how good that would be.

Thanks,
Ralphw

I usually just have my wife park mine for me.... Plenty of room underneath with a long enough snorkle...

But seriously, I've seen everything from wheel ramps on all four tires to 55 gallon drum used...

You should be able to use some truck size jack stands and a hydraulic jack. Jack up each corner from the tranny crossmember (thats what I do) and place a jack on the front frame rails and crossmember. Do that on all corners till its high enough. If the jack doesnt go as high as you need use some 2x4's or something to help place between the jack and body.

Since your replacing the floors you probably want to support the mid and each ends to keep the unit-body from sagging in the middle. You need to keep as much support on it as possible when removing the pans. Make sure its level, use a level or count the notches on the stands if they are the same kind stand.

I saw a video once..cant what it was called or where it was on...on replacing floor pans in a mustang. You dont want to just go chopping out the floor and welding in the new. The factory spot welded the pans to the support beams, I think you can drill out the spot welds from the support beams then cut the perimiter edge and mig weld them in.

Here is a web site of what im talkin about.
Boyd's Mustang: Floorpan replacement

Good luck!! make sure you secure the car up in the air safely...you can get hurt or killed if you makeshift something to go under it to hold it up.

Keep in mind you don't want to lift it higher than arms length when lying on a creeper. If you do it will be tough to work on underneath.

Ralph, when I need the entire car up off the ground, I drive the front wheels up on to a set of ramps, then jack the back up & slide another set of ramps under the back wheels, backwards, so the car can't roll.

Rick

Thank guys,,,
almost forgot the parking brake bracket

that boyd's article looks almost exactly what I am doing so I guess i'm on the right track....

thinking of doing the wheels thing... seems like it would be safe enough and high enough for me

i really appreciate the info


thanks

Originally Posted by rancheroo

Ralph, when I need the entire car up off the ground, I drive the front wheels up on to a set of ramps, then jack the back up & slide another set of ramps under the back wheels, backwards, so the car can't roll.

Rick

+1
this has alwasy worked well for me.

I put the front of the Fairlaine on metal ramps and the rear on jack stands set high enough to kep the car level. I had some old chain with hooks on one end with threaded eyes on the other. I put the hooks in the slots of the Magnum wheels and the other end got threaded in holes in the ramp so it wouldn't roll off. I also put another set of jack stands under the front just in case. This is how I replaced the three speed with the C4. Had plenty of room without having to reach too far.

Now when I put Hooker headers on my Javelin last century, they had to go in from the bottom so I put the front of the Javelin on milk crates. No not the plastic crap they use nowadays but real honest to goodness metal ones. I still have them in the garage. I put it on the ground with the open end down and then a 2x10 on the top to distribute the weight load. I had it up there for a week or so.

Now at the the local U-Pull-It, they weld two or three wheels together each being a bit smaller so the nestle inside each other. Depending on how high they need to get the car. Then they put a set under each wheel. This gves us parts pullers plenty of room to work under the car.

Later!
Mr. Ed

Thanks Guys,